Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce campaign group of six awarded to Vimy, Vernon and Snipe pilot, Squadron Leader S. A. Lane, Royal Air Force, late County of London Yeomanry and Imperial Camel Corps, serving with the latter in Darfur, March - December 1916, he went on to qualify as a pilot, seeing active service during the Kurdistan operations of 1923. Lane died in service 19 September 1940

1914-15 Star (2141 Pte. S. A. Lane. 2/Co. of Lond. Y.); British War and Victory Medals (2/Lieut. S. A. Lane. R.A.F.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (F/O. S. A. Lane. R.A.F.); Khedive’s Sudan 1910-21, 2nd issue, no clasp, unnamed as issued; Iraq, Active Service Medal, no clasp, last of ‘bazaar’ manufacture, mounted as originally worn by Spink & Son, with two sets of riband bars, generally good very fine (6) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Provenance: Christie’s, November 1987.

Sydney Archibald Lane was born at 37 Belle Vue Road, Friern Barnet, Middlesex, in June 1892. He attested for the Territorial Force to serve with the 2nd County of London Yeomanry at Westminster, 9 September 1914. Lane transferred to 1/2 County of London Yeomanry in August 1915, and served with the Regiment in the Egyptian theatre of war from September 1915. He was attached to the 8th Company, Imperial Camel Corps, from 24 April 1916. Five companies of the Imperial Camel Corps were engaged in the Darfur campaign in the Sudan between 1 March - 31 December 1916. During that period Lane advanced to Lance Corporal, and at the end of his 1916 attachment was transferred internally to be a Signaller with HQ 3rd Battalion at El Arish on the Sinai coast of Egypt.

Lane transferred to the Royal Engineers (T.F.) at El Arish in May 1917, and was employed with the Imperial Camel Corps Signal Company. Ranked as an Acting Corporal he was posted to Brigade Signal Section, R.E., 1st Battalion I.C.C., and advanced to Sergeant in June 1917. Still under the employment of the Royal Engineers, Lane carried out a course of instruction at the School of Military Aviation at Heliopolis from December 1917. He was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, in April 1918, and subsequent postings included to 193 Squadron, Amryia, Egypt, and to 22 Training Squadron, Aboukir.

Further training ensued for Lane, at the School of Aerial Gunnery, Aboukir, and at the Aerial Fighting School, Heliopolis. He was posted for operational flying to 14 Squadron, Junction Station, Palestine, in September 1918. The latter posting was short lived, and after a few weeks Lane was sent to Aboukir to train as an Assistant Instructor. Lane qualified as an Instructor, and was posted to the Flying Instructors School at El Khenka prior to his return to the UK for demobilisation in June 1919.

Lane was posted as a Flying Officer and pilot to 70 Squadron (Vimys and Vernons), Hinaidi, Iraq, in September 1922. He served on attachment with 1 Squadron (Snipes), Hinaidi, January - April 1923, before returning to 70 Squadron. Lane served on attachment with 76 Squadron, before transferring to No. 5 Armoured Car Company, Mosul, for Motor Convoy Duties, in April 1924. He returned to flying duties when he was posted to 84 Squadron, Shaibah, Iraq, in March 1925. Lane returned to the UK the following year, and was posted to 100 Squadron, Spittalgate, in May 1926. He transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers in November of the same year, and gained his Pilot’s Certificate of Competency for passenger, mail or goods flying machines in April 1928.

Obviously missing service, during the early 1930’s Lane was employed as a Civilian Assistant at No. 4 Flying Training School, Abu Sueir, Middle East Command and in the same capacity with 6 Squadron, at Ismailia. He returned to the UK, and continued to be employed in a Civilian capacity - this time as Assistant Adjutant at R.A.F Station Tangmere in No. 11 (Fighter) Group. Lane was granted a commission as Flight Lieutenant in the Reserve of Air Force Officers, in February 1938, and was appointed the Adjutant at R.A.F. Station Thorney Island. He was promoted Squadron Leader in May 1939, and relinquished his R.A.F.O. commission to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Administrative and Special Duties Branch in September of the same year.

Lane was posted to No. 6 School of Technical Training, Hednesford, in March 1940, and died of a stroke whilst in service, 19 September 1940.

Sold with the following original documentation: named Memorial Scroll, this glazed and framed, latter damaged; recipient’s Pilot Certificate and Licence, dated 17 April 1928; Programme for King’s Birthday Ceremonial Parade and Fly Past for Canal Brigade Moascar Garrison, 4 June 1934; R.A.F. Thorney Island Concert Party Programme, dated 23 November 1939, and Silk Map of North Africa.

Sold with a file of copied research, including a photographic image of recipient.